FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: I QUIT

In all my years covering the television news business, I thought I had seen pretty much everything.

Anchors signing autographs on headshots during breaking news? Seen it. Anchors demanding specific lighting in their contracts? Standard operating procedure.

But a local morning anchor sending out a formal press release to announce that he is quitting TV news?

That is a new one.

Chris Tatum, who anchored the morning and midday newscasts at WAAY in Huntsville, Alabama, signed off last Friday. But rather than just saying goodbye on air or posting a standard generic paragraph on Facebook about "spending more time with family," Tatum took things to another level.

He issued an official press release to the media.

And who sent the release? None other than his brand-new outfit: "Chris Tatum TV LLC, A Content and Strategy Company."

Nothing says "strategy" quite like issuing a press release about yourself.

In the release, Tatum made sure everyone knew that leaving was entirely on his own terms following Gray Media’s acquisition and merger of WAAY with WAFF:

“I want to be very clear that leaving TV is my decision,” Tatum explained in his release. “WAFF graciously offered me a position, and I carefully considered it... I agonized over my decision to decline it.”

Just in case anyone in Huntsville dared to wonder if he was pushed out, Chris made sure the PR wire had the record straight: He turned them down.

Tatum says his "entrepreneurial spirit kicked into high gear" after the merger was announced, leading him to launch his media strategy venture.

Best of luck to Chris with the new content and strategy company. Step one of the marketing strategy—getting your name in print by issuing a press release about your own retirement—is already complete.